Port, Tartus:

"Finally!" Altaïr said, when Maria and he got off the ship.

Maria chuckled a little, adjusting the bundle of clothes she carried on her shoulder.

"Where are we going now?" She asked.

"To the bureau..." Altaïr said. "Once there we can rest as Hassam look for horses and provisions for us…"

Maria stopped.

"I can't go in there..." She said. "Or did you forget I'm the enemy, Assassin? They know who I am…"

Altaïr stopped and turned.

"Was..." he said. "I know what you are afraid of, Maria, but my brothers will treat you well… I'll make sure of it…"

Maria nodded and resumed her walking by his side…

X ~ X ~ X

When Altaïr showed on the bureau entrance and called for the rafiq, the man jumped a little… he was so entertained with a book that he was….

"Altaïr!" Hassam said. "I mean, master Altaïr... what a surprise..."

Obviously... Altaïr thought.

He could take Hassam's surprised badly, but instead thought it was funny... and as Maria showed behind him, Hassam went from surprised to alert, preparing to pick a dagger hidden bellow the balcony.

"What is she doing here?" The rafiq asked, knowing very well who she was,

Altaïr anticipating his movement, said quickly:

"Her name is Maria and she is with me..." Altaïr said. "Don't worry..."

Hassam nodded and relaxed a little.

"Where are my manners…" Hassam said, remembering who was in front of him. "Let's go inside…"

Hassam took Altaïr and Maria to the bunker house.

"What can I do to help you?" The rafiq asked.

"I know that it was long ago that I was here, Hassam..." Altaïr said, but the rafiq interrupted him with a hand.

"It isn't necessary, master..." Hassam said. "I'm happy to help in any way I can…"

"Very well, prepare two horses and provisions for us and after, write a message to Malik... I'm going to take longer than I thought on this and that the council is responsible for the creed while I'm away…"

Maria raised an eyebrow and thought about Cyprus...

"Yes, master..." Hassam said, nodding "Anything else?"

"Just wash and rest..." Altaïr finished.

Hassam nodded and exited the room. At the moment, Maria turned to Altaïr, who had sat on a chair.

"Now I understand..." She said.

"Understand what?" He asked.

"Everything that happened in Cyprus... and why do you have the apple..." She said. "We thought
your creed was leaderless... but the leader is you..."

"Are you surprised?" Altaïr asked, looking up at her.

She shook her head negativelly.

"Actually, no..." Maria said. "What happened to the prior leader?"

"I killed him after he used the apple to enslave the people of Masyaf..." Altaïr said.

"As you did with the Cypriots?" Maria asked.

Altaïr hesitated, but taking a deep breath, nodded.

"Yes..." He said finally. "The only difference is that we used for different reasons…"

"And how do you know?" Maria asked.

"Its very simple... I never betrayed my brothers..." Altaïr said. "And besides, Al – Mualim was a Templar..."

Maria was silent after this revelation.

"As Robert was falling against my blade, he told me it was tem Templars who discovered the apple and not nine…" Altaïr explained, watching her react when he said Robert de Sable's name.

"Ten?" Maria asked, recovering quickly.

Altaïr nodded.

"Didn't you ask yourself why I know so much about this subject?" He asked.

Maria looked down quiet as Hassam entered the room again.

"I put some bread and tea on the table and the water is ready for each one of you…" The rafiq said. "I'll go and arrange the horses…"

Altaïr thanked him. As Hassam was leaving he turned to Maria.

"You go first... I'll wait here till you finish..." He said.

Maria nodded and picking up her small bag, went in the direction she hoped was the bathroom...